WIDNES Vikings saw an 18-0 lead disappear as they went down 34-24 to Castleford Tigers at the Select Security Stadium.

Perhaps the Vikings start was too good as they seemed almost to be caught unawares by the Tigers fightback.

They shouldn't have been as Castleford's hat-trick hero Denny Solomona has enjoyed considerable success against Widnes before.

Cas hit back to score 28 unanswered points before eventually taking the spoils.

Widnes opened the scoring on three minutes when slick crossfield passing finished with winger Patrick Ah Van crossing at the left corner.

Chris Bridge converted superbly from wide out and slotted anothet goal over after Joe Mellor sent Macgraff Leuluai in from close range for the Vikings' second try.

Kevin Brown tormented Tigers fullback Ryan Hampshire in the early stages with towering bombs and kept the pressure on the visitors line.

When Cas did get to the other end, a long pass from Gale was intercepted by Corey Thompson who went 90 metres to score.

At 18-0 Widnes looked in full control but the Tigers hit back when Jake Webster put Solomona over for his first of the afternoon.

Just two minutes later Solomona was in again as the long pass this time found its mark.

At 18-10 going into half-time, it was game on.

Three minutes ino the second half Solomona completed his hat-trick from a superb Webster offload and Gale added the extras.

The Tigers hit the front for the first time on 52 minutes when Ryan Boyle crossed after Solomona had tapped back a bomb though Widnes felt the ball had gone forward.

Gale's conversion made it 22-18.

Gale dummied his way over for a self-converted try which gave the Tigers a 28-18 advantage.

Lloyd White dummied his his way over with eight minutes remaining for a try which Bridge goaled to give the Vikings a sniff.

But the Tigers closed it out when Paul McShane crossed from the play-the-ball with Gale again adding the extras.

Widnes: Hanbury; Thompson, Bridge, Dean, Ah Van; Mellor, Brown; O'Carroll, Heremaia, Dudson, Sa, Houston, Leuluai. Subs: White, Whitley, Gerrard, Brooks.

Castleford: Hampshire; Monagahan, Minikin, Webster, Solomona; T Holmes, Gale; Lynch, Milner, Jewitt, Cook, McMeeken, Massey. Subs: McShane, Maher, Boyle, Springer.

Referee: J Cobb

Half-time: 18-10

Attendance: 5,081